THREE ADVENTURERS TOGETHER - TWO YEARS APART...

Regular readers will perhaps remember when I published a post featuring photos of my time in Portsmouth in 1985.  I first visited the place in 1978 to be Best Man at a friend's wedding, then returned in 1981 at his invitation for a longer stay, though another friend (both were known to one another) came with me 'cos he fancied a break.  (Not that I invited him.)  The three of us had hung about together back home when we were younger and the pair were my oldest and closest pals, though that was destined to end before too long.

The two photos above are of Saint Mary's Church in Fratton, Portsmouth, the first taken in 1978, the second in 1981.  During my stay in 1985, I stayed in Shearer Road not far behind the church but never thought to gain access and explore its interiors, though I've since seen inside in images on the Internet.  The main doors were a perfect backdrop for photo opportunities and that's me below in 1981, pic taken by Joe on my Hanimex 110 TF camera.  Not a great snap, but 110 mm was never the best medium for photography.

Same site, but the photo below was taken in 1978 on my Prinz 110 camera (Dixon's own brand) and features the late Alan Bowie, who was in the Royal Navy at the time.  For some reason it never occurred to me then to get him to take my photograph in the same spot, but I remedied that in 1981 when I was down there with another pal (the third member of The Adventurers), who is also 'late', in that he passed away around a month ago.

And that's him below - Joe Beattie, who for some reason has adopted what seems to me to be a slightly 'girlish' pose - it certainly isn't 'Jack Kirby', is it?  Anyway, three friends in the same spot, but not at the same time, there being just over two years between the pics of Alan and Joe.  Not much to this post, admittedly, just pure self-indulgent reminiscing, but I thought it a rather nice sentiment to reunite all three friends in the same location for one last time.